This invention relates to hand-operated soil testers that can be inserted into the soil for purposes of withdrawing soil samples in order to test soil moisture and other soil conditions.
There exist soil tester tools that are adapted to be inserted down into the soil to be tested and that have ledges to catch soil at a plurality of depths for inspection after withdrawal of the soil test.
In this invention, a soil tester combination is provided that has an elongated rigid outer semi-cylindrical sleeve with a sharp narrowed outer sleeve end and a handle mounted on an opposite outer sleeve end, and a similar inner sleeve having a plurality of ledges bridging the walls of the inner sleeve at various depths.
The combination allows a gardener to insert the first, outer sleeve into a patch of soil to be sampled with less force required that would be to insert first the second, inner sleeve, because the first outer sleeve lacks the ledges which would block passage of the sleeve down into the soil. After the first, outer sleeve has been inserted, it can be withdrawn and the second, inner sleeve inserted, using the path already created by the first, outer sleeve, with little additional force required. After the second, inner sleeve has been inserted, it can be pulled up at once. If additional soil is desired, it can be re-inserted, and then the first, outer sleeve inserted behind it, pressing the second, inner sleeve""s ledges into the adjacent soil wall, and causing soil from the various depths corresponding to the ledges to fall onto the ledges and retained upon the second, inner sleeve being withdrawn.